On Veterans Day 2025, former President Barack Obama greeted veterans from the Korean and Vietnam Wars who arrived on an Honor Flight from Madison, Wisconsin. This event, held in Washington, D.C., featured Obama thanking the veterans for their service and presenting them with a Presidential Challenge Coin as a token of appreciation. The Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that provides free flights for veterans to visit memorials in the Washington area. Initially focused on World War II veterans, the program has expanded to include veterans from the Korean and Vietnam Wars, among others. Over its 20 years of operation, the Honor Flight Network has served more than 317,000 veterans. Capt. Mary Quigley, a Navy veteran and Honor Flight volunteer, noted the program's growth, with many states establishing their own hubs to fund and organize flights. The emotional impact of such events was highlighted by Army veteran Joe Parr, who expressed gratitude for the recognition and support from the community.

In conjunction with these celebrations, the gun control organization Giffords, founded by Gabby Giffords, advocated for stricter gun control measures for veterans accessing services from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Giffords emphasized that since 2006, veterans have died by suicide at a rate nearly 20 times higher than that of soldiers killed in combat, highlighting the urgent need for effective protective measures for this population. However, legislative barriers in Congress hinder the VA's ability to identify veterans at increased risk of self-harm or harm to others, which could lead to restrictions on their access to firearms. Giffords criticized some Republican lawmakers for attempting to eliminate the VA's longstanding practice of reporting veterans to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for reasons such as requiring assistance with financial management.

Reports indicate that veterans utilizing fiduciary services to manage their finances may risk being reported by the VA, potentially resulting in the loss of their gun rights. This situation raises concerns about equating the need for financial assistance with mental health issues, which could lead to unjust restrictions on gun ownership. A 2016 report noted that combat veterans seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were increasingly reluctant to pursue necessary care due to fears that a PTSD diagnosis could jeopardize their gun rights. An anonymous combat veteran expressed anxiety over the possibility of losing access to firearms following medical visits. Representative Eli Crane, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, publicly opposed the notion that restricting gun rights for veterans would help reduce suicide rates, arguing that such measures might exacerbate feelings of vulnerability among veterans, particularly those dealing with PTSD, potentially increasing the risk of suicide rather than alleviating it. On this Veterans Day, Giffords continues to call for enhanced gun control measures aimed at protecting veterans.